1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods for forming chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layers within microelectronic fabrications. More particularly, the present invention relates to end-point monitoring and control methods within the context of chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods for forming chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layers within microelectronic fabrications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microelectronic fabrications are formed from microelectronic substrates over which are formed patterned microelectronic conductor layers which are separated by microelectronic dielectric layers.
As microelectronic fabrication integration levels have increased and patterned microelectronic conductor layer dimensions have decreased, it has become increasingly common in the art of microelectronic fabrication to employ planarized microelectronic layers when fabricating microelectronic fabrications. Planarized microelectronic layers are desirable when fabricating microelectronic fabrications insofar as planarized microelectronic layers provide substrate layers upon which may more readily be formed, with enhanced reliability and enhanced functionality, additional microelectronic layers and additional microelectronic structures within microelectronic fabrications.
Of the methods which may be employed for forming planarized microelectronic layers within microelectronic fabrications, chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods are particularly common and desirable insofar as chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods may be readily adapted for forming various types of planarized microelectronic layers from various types of microelectronic materials within microelectronic fabrications.
While chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods are thus clearly desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication for forming planarized microelectronic layers from various types of microelectronic materials within microelectronic fabrications, chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods are nonetheless not entirely without problems when employed for forming planarized microelectronic layers from various types of microelectronic materials within microelectronic fabrications. In that regard, it is recognized in the art of microelectronic fabrication that it is often difficult to accurately monitor and control a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing end-point when forming while employing a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer within a microelectronic fabrication.
It is thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication to provide chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods for forming, with enhanced chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing end-point monitoring and control, chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layers within microelectronic fabrications.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various end-point detection methods and apparatus have been disclosed in the art of microelectronic fabrication for forming microelectronic fabrication processed microelectronic layers with enhanced end-point monitoring and control within the art of microelectronic fabrication.
For example, Barbee et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,124, discloses a method and an apparatus for monitoring and controlling, both in-situ and in a real-time fashion, an end-point when completely etching with respect to a microelectronic substrate employed within a microelectronic fabrication a microelectronic layer formed upon the microelectronic substrate. To realize the foregoing object, the method and the apparatus employ, in general, a quantification of a secondary harmonic component within a reflected inspection light beam reflected from an interface of the microelectronic layer with the microelectronic substrate, as the microelectronic layer is being completely etched from upon the microelectronic substrate while being inspected with an incident inspection light beam having a primary harmonic component.
In addition, Coronel et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,418, discloses a method and an apparatus for monitoring and controlling, both in-situ and in a real-time fashion, an end-point when partially etching a microelectronic dielectric layer within a microelectronic fabrication. To realize the foregoing object, the method and the apparatus employ an optical detection method and an optical detection apparatus which in-turn preferably employ s minimum of two incident inspection light beams, each having with respect to the microelectronic dielectric layer being partially etched a wavelength of greater than 4*n*e, where n equals the index of refraction of a microelectronic dielectric material from which is formed the microelectronic dielectric layer and e equals a thickness of the microelectronic dielectric layer.
Finally, Sun et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,538, discloses a method and an apparatus for monitoring and controlling, both in-situ and in a real time fashion, an end-point when chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing a microelectronic layer within a microelectronic fabrication while employing a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing apparatus. To realize the foregoing object, the method and apparatus employ a minimum of one sensor mechanically coupled to a carrier which carries within the chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing apparatus a microelectronic substrate over which is formed the microelectronic layer which is chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized while employing the chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing apparatus, and wherein an output signal from the minimum of one sensor is transmitted to a stationary receiver and controller by a radiative means, absent use of a physical transmission means such as an electrical or optical fiber cable, such as to control the chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing apparatus.
Desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication are additional chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods for forming, with enhanced chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing end-point monitoring and control, chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layers within microelectronic fabrications.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method for forming from a microelectronic layer within a microelectronic fabrication a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer within the microelectronic fabrication.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method in accord with the first object of the present invention, wherein there is provided an enhanced monitoring and control of a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing end-point within the chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method in accord with the first object and the second object of the present invention, which chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method is readily commercially implemented.
In accord within the objects of the present invention, there is provided by the present invention a method for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication. To practice the method of the present invention, there is first provided a substrate having formed thereover a minimum of one microelectronic layer, where the minimum of one microelectronic layer is at least partially transparent to an incident radiation beam. There is then chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized the minimum of one microelectronic layer, while employing a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method, to form from the minimum of one microelectronic layer a minimum of one chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer. Within the method of the present invention, a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing endpoint within the chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method with respect to the minimum of one chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer is determined while employing the incident radiation beam incident upon the minimum of one microelectronic layer, in conjunction with a derivative of a property of a minimum of one reflected portion of the incident radiation beam reflected from the minimum of one microelectronic layer, as the minimum of one microelectronic layer is chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized to form the minimum of one chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer.
The present invention provides a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method for forming from a microelectronic layer within a microelectronic fabrication a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer within the microelectronic fabrication, wherein there is provided an enhanced monitoring and control of a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing end-point within the chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method. The present invention realizes the foregoing object by employing, when chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing within a microelectronic fabrication a minimum of one microelectronic layer being at least partially transparent to an incident radiation beam to form from the minimum of one microelectronic layer within the microelectronic fabrication a minimum of one chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer within the microelectronic fabrication, a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing end-point detection method within the chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method with respect to the minimum of one chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer, wherein the chemical mechanical polish (CMP) end-point detection method employs the incident radiation beam incident upon the minimum of one microelectronic layer, in conjunction with a derivative of a property of a minimum of one reflected portion of the incident radiation beam reflected from the minimum of one microelectronic layer as the minimum of one microelectronic layer is chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized to form the minimum of one chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized microelectronic layer.
The method of the present invention is readily commercially implemented. The present invention employs methods and materials as are otherwise generally conventional in the art of microelectronic fabrication, but employed within the context of specific process limitations and materials selections to provide the present invention. Since it is thus a series of process limitation considerations and materials selection considerations which provides at least in part the present invention, rather than the existence of methods and materials which provides the present invention, the method of the present invention is readily commercially implemented.